A highlight of every FGS conference is the Exhibit Hall - a place to explore the latest software, books, and gadgets for genealogists, a place to interact with the latest technology, and a place to learn about genealogical organizations.
Finding enough time to fully explore the exhibit hall during FGS conferences is often difficult, but we are making that easier at FGS 2017. Here are 7 ways to make the most of the FGS 2017 Exhibit Hall.
As always, we'll have the Exhibit Hall Grand Opening on Thursday from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. (immediately following the Keynote Address). Get your first look at the latest software, books, maps, databases, and gadgets on the market for genealogists and family historians, as well as information about genealogical organizations.
2. Exhibit Hall Lunch: Eat, Explore, Shop
On Friday, the two-hour lunch break will be devoted to the exhibit hall with a catered boxed lunch served. A ticket for this special lunch is included with each full conference registration. Tickets will also be available as an add-on purchase for Friday-only attendees.
Sponsored by Ancestry.com
(Please note that other luncheons will not be held on Friday.)
3. Exhibit Hall Passports
All attendees (including one-day registrants) will receive an Exhibit Hall Passport with their registration materials. Get your Passport stamped at the booths you visit during the conference and turn it in at the FGS booth for an opportunity to win prizes. Passports with a minimum of 20 stamps will be eligible to win a variety of prizes. Passports that are 100% covered will also be eligible for the Grand Prize Package. Details about prizes will be announced closer to the conference.
4. Vendor Bucks are back!
Introduced at the FGS 2016 conference in Springfield, Illinois, Vendor Bucks were highly popular with conference attendees and exhibitors alike. We are delighted to announce that Vendor Bucks are back for FGS 2017! Each full conference registrant will receive $10 in Vendor Bucks in their registration material to spend at the vendor booth of their choice.
5. Exhibit Hall Live
Join FGS and our exhibitors from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday for a 90-minute exhibit hall gala featuring door prizes, special activities, shopping, and networking with vendors and societies. This will be a great time to spend your Vendor Bucks and finish up your Exhibit Hall Passport, if you haven’t done so by Saturday morning.
If you've attended an FGS conference in the past, you've seen Society Showcase - a section of the Exhibit Hall dedicated to FGS member societies. It's been a focal point of FGS conference exhibit halls for many years. FGS 2017 attendees can look forward to learning about the rich variety of genealogical, historical, and family societies that *may* unlock the clues to their own family history mysteries!
7. Exhibit Hall Learning Center
Free, 30-minute presentations will be given on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the conference in the Exhibit Hall Learning Center. These sessions will be presented by exhibitors and society representatives and are open to conference attendees and the public. Details about these sessions will be available by mid-June, so stay tuned!
If you are an exhibitor and would like to sign up for a time slot, please use the Submit Exhibit Hall Learning Center Presentation form.
Exhibit Hall Hours
- Thursday, August 31: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Friday, September 1: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 2: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
